Imagine if a city government was debating whether to develop land that had been a cemetery for centuries. It would be unthinkable.

If Nashville were to ever propose putting a grocery store, a gas station or a restaurant on a Confederate cemetery – or even an official Union cemetery – the outrage would be unheard of. Yet, Nashville is eagerly working toward the commercial development of land that holds our history, our pride and very likely hundreds of unmarked, unhonored graves of brave African-Americans who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

When priceless historical areas are razed for corporate development, all possibilities of authentic educational experiences for future generations are lost. That is what is at risk when we are considering the corporate development of the Fort Negley area and the former Greer Stadium, if Metro Nashville and Cloud Hill Partners are fully approved to begin their plans.

Despite reassurances that history will be preserved, there is little to no chance of that happening on a site where history has not yet been preserved. We are facing uncharted territory when you see that educational and historic research has not been fully conducted on this site, yet we are willing to forego that preservation and knowledge for the almighty dollar and to appease new residents in an area that has long been forgotten by the elite of Nashville.

The Chestnut Hill area has always been somewhat neglected by Nashville. The parts of town that, in some ways, were blessed with a lack of attention meant that our historic sites, especially of those with particular significance to African-Americans, were safe from the risk of development. Now that Chestnut Hill is quickly becoming a “desirable” neighborhood, sites such as Fort Negley and its unrealized potential are at severe risk of elimination or significant negative impact.

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In many instances, corporate development can co-exist peacefully with residential development and retail and office space. That is the ultimate goal of urban development and city planning. In my years as a Metro Nashville council member, I was proud to consider multiple instances where we were required, as a representative body, to determine a number of instances where these entities drew lines in the sand. It was the responsibility of the Metro Council, in many situations, to determine which areas of our community could be zoned commercial or residential.

However, it is rare to have a situation such as this one – when land where history was made and a portion was converted decades ago to commercial development and is now facing even more dense development than was first envisioned on the property when the initial development occurred.

Jamie Isabel(Photo: Submitted)

It can be a challenge to determine the best course of action, but it is gravely concerning to me and to my fellow members of my community when the history of our city, the history of African Americans in Nashville and the impact we made to help preserve the United States is being ignored. Plaques don’t make up for the fact that hundreds of graves have yet to be located and honored. Naming rights don’t equate a peaceful repose for the hundreds or thousands of African Americans who gave their lives on this very land.

It is not the same to read in a textbook about the sacrifices and efforts of a group of people who impacted history for the better. When you can stand on the same soil, breathe the same air and envision with your own eyes and your own mind what the circumstances would have been and what it must have been like, that is when history becomes alive and makes an impact on future generations. When those areas are endangered, they are lost forever.

As the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”

Jamie D. Isabel, Sr., is a graduate of Tennessee State University and served four years as Metro Nashville council member for District 2 and also served on the Metro Council Parks Committee.

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The future of Fort Negley Park has been the most significant local issue to op-ed and letters writers of late. Add your voice to the discussion at letters@tennessean.com.
David Plazas / Tennessean (via Wochit)